ACTIVE VS. PASSIVE VOICEEnglish 1 Level 2

WHAT IS PASSIVE VOICE? In sentences written in passive voice, the subject receives the

action expressed in the verb; the subject is acted upon. The agent performing the action may appear in a "by the . . ." phrase or may be omitted.

                                  

                                                           

                                                      

(agent performing action has been omitted.)

                                                                           

WHAT IS ACTIVE VOICE? In sentences written in active voice, the subject performs the action expressed in

the verb; the subject acts. In each example below, the subject of the sentence performs the action expressed in

the verb.

                     

                                                    

                                                        

                                                                  

ACTIVE VS. PASSIVE VOICE

Passive (indirect) Active (direct)

Active voice is preferable to passive for the majority of your sentences. Overuse of passive voice or use of passive voice in long and complicated

sentences can cause readers to lose interest or to become confused. Sentences in active voice are generally--though not always-- clearer and

more direct.

ACTIVE VS. PASSIVE VOICE

passive (more wordy) active (more concise)

Sentences in active voice are also more _____________ than those in passive voice because fewer words are required to express action in active voice than in passive.

CHANGING PASSIVE TO ACTIVE

Find the agent in a “____________”

phrase, or consider carefully who or what is performing the action expressed in the verb.

Make that agent the subject of the sentence, and change the verb accordingly. Sometimes you will need to infer the agent from the surrounding sentences which provide context.

CHANGING PASSIVE TO ACTIVE

Passive Voice Agent Changed to Active Voice

agent not specified; most

likely agents such as “we”

PASSIVE VOICE CAN MAKE WRITING CONFUSING!

Avoid dangling modifiers caused by the use of passive voice. A dangling modifier is a word or phrase that modifies a word not clearly stated in the sentence.

Dangling modifier with passive voice Revised

To save time, the paper was written on a computer.

Seeking to lay off workers without taking the blame, consultants were hired to

break the bad news.

REVISION

Swap essays with someone sitting near you, and read through the essay, focusing on the verb forms.

Circle any passive voice verbs that you find.

WORK CITED

“Active and Passive Voice.” OWL at Purdue University. 1995-2004. Purdue University. 21 Feb. 2009 <http://owl.english.purdue. edu/handouts/grammar/g_actpass.html>.